I know there are reasons Ford could come up with to justify making the new Mustang harder to modify, but none of them I can think of seem logical to me. If someone purchases a Mustang and they want to spend time customizing their vehicle, whether it be looks or performance, let them. They paid for it didn't they? They spent their money to buy something they wanted, they have every right to do whatever they please with the car, even if it is illegal.
I just can't understand their reasoning.
If it is to make it so that only big name tuners can improve performance, then what about those who can't afford the "big name" part of tuning?
If it is to get people to go to Ford dealerships for their performance needs/wants, what about those who despise the service centers at most dealerships? (I'm one of them).
Rant on:
Let's face it, people who work at dealerships, for the most part are assclowns. Mercedes, one of the most prestigious companies in the auto world, has shown me some of the most undesireable experiences when it comes to servicing (rarely do they completely fix the problem, if not making it worse. Also you bring them an $80,000 car and they give you a stripped down bottom of the line loaner in return.) Volkswagen has got to have the WORST service centers (at least in Georgia) I have ever been witness to. You tell them to do one thing, and only one thing, and they do everything but what you asked. You write "Do not do anything without calling ME and getting approval from ME first." and they do a million other things and change your half-month old wiper blades out for new ones (for only $34.95 plus labor) and wash your car that was detailed and waxed that morning on top of everything else. Oh and it takes 3 hours for them to remove wheel locks.
Rant off.
What about all the "do-it-yourself" people who want to work on their car themselves, even if it means screwing up a few times before they get it working right?
If it is to stop people from street racing, then why the hell do they make GTs, Mach 1s, SVTs, Bullits, etc.?
Rant on:
If people want to street race, they're going to do it with any damn car you give them. Making it harder to modify to cut down on street racing would do nothing. The only thing I can think of on this idea is that Ford may think it might improve the Mustang's reputation with adults who hate fast cars and teenage drivers, or drivers who like driving. But come on, everything else aside (heritage, sentimental connections, etc.) Mustangs (especially the V8s), are death traps. They are fast, and as far as safety features go today, they don't have many. To top that off, thousands and thousands of 16-25 year olds die in auto accidents every year. Does that stop people from buying Mustangs? No.
Rant off.
I truely hope this "email/post" does not become a reality.
Given 351CJ's comments on Ford's current engine control systems, etc., I'd say the original post/e-mail is legit, and although the weight concern may be (slightly) exaggerated, the 2005+ Stang will be heavier, and it's going to be much harder to mod it for increased HP. Perhaps Ford will cooperate with some of the aftermarket companies, but maybe they also want to take back some of this business for themselves. The article that was posted previously about Ford and customizing is really oriented toward aesthetics, and it's really all about giving business back to Ford and the dealers. The new dashboard with all the silly colors is a perfect example of what Ford thinks people want (and they're probably right). Ford mostly sells V6 Stangs, and beyond wheel/suspension/aesthetic tweaks, even most GT owners probably are only interested in maybe adding a fart pipe and a chip--which Ford can probably provide. I don't know, what does Honda do to cooperate with the aftermarket, and how has that hurt/helped them? How about BMW? I think the ability to mod the Mustang for more HP will have little or no impact on its sales. If the car looks good (and I suspect that it will, even if some people are disappointed) it should be a huge hit for the first year or two. Then Ford will be able to keep sales up by offering an array of "special" models like the Bullit, Mach, etc, or by offering different appearance packages. And by the time a new Camaro comes out they'll probably have the 5.4 available. And of course the new Cobra will probably offer more performance than anyone could possibly use on the street.
